 |
| (Source) |
Been feeling a bit out of sorts lately, some folks enjoy working from home, I don't, not really. Though the commute can't be beat, and it's a snap to "get ready for work," it just doesn't feel right. Work is work, home is home. They shouldn't mix.
Work Sarge is different from Home Sarge, when I work from home, my worlds collide. Chaos ensues. Okay, it ain't that bad it's just maintaining the separation between those two worlds is important, at least to me. When I leave my desk at the lab, at work, I am better able to leave work at work. When I work from home, I can't do that.
Sleep has not been easy the past couple of weeks. All the bovine excrement going on in the world has not done wonders for my morale. Damn it, I'm too old to be wanting to man the barricades or go guerrilla in the mountains. But if necessary, I will.
Anyhoo. Out of nowhere this song popped into my head today, it took me back to last fall when I was down in Maryland (a lovely place by the way), getting ready for Tuttle's and The Nuke's wedding. We were motoring through the countryside and The Nuke was playing us a CD of the music she had chosen for the reception. Really good stuff. I think she changed a couple of tunes out for fear that The WSO and Your's Truly might go a bit crazy. And there was a full moon the night of the wedding. Well, we did kind of act up in the car, throw in alcohol at the reception, and things could have gone badly. Not for The WSO and I anyway. Very little fazes us, we're both naturally goofy and a bit too extroverted for our own good.
But this song came on at some point in the trip, I think the CD had ended and this was on the radio. Or maybe it was on the CD, I don't recollect exactly but that's immaterial. At any rate, it was good to hear the song (hadn't heard it in ages).
In other news, Aidan's Pub re-opened in our wee town by the Bay on Friday. Limited accommodations on the outdoor patio but they were doing take-out. So The Missus Herself and Your Humble Scribe availed ourselves of the opportunity to have a meal from one of my favorite places on the planet. She had the shepherd's pie (technically it's cottage pie, but we don't stand on ceremony) and I had the fish and chips.
Slowly things are, and will continue to, return to something approaching normal. It's inevitable and no number of idiot governors and mayors can stop it. They might try but I think they will fail and fail utterly. I hope everyone remembers these damned Commies come this November. Keep juvat's voting rubric in mind when you head for the polls.
A couple of people have mentioned this interview with Chuck Yeager, I provide it here as a public service. It's long but well worth your time.
See you Sunday.
I remember the challenges when I first started working from home when I wasn't traveling. I was a sales rep and had no local office, so if I was out and about in the eleven southern states that I had as a territory then, I was working from the room above the garage (called a 'bonus room' for some reason in these parts). The biggest issue was getting the kids to understand that I was at work even though I was home. Next biggest was not getting distracted by home chores - I'd look out the window and think, " The yard could use mowing" and have to resist the urge to get outside on a nice day... had to acquire a mindset that my office at home was work just as much as an office to which I had to commute - compartmentalize if you will.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the Yeager video - learned quite a few things about interesting topics. His comments about doing one's duty were heartfelt. And I had forgotten his being shot down over occupied France happened on his 8th mission, the day after his first kill. I also thought his comments about the draw down of the military space program in the late 60s were spot on. I met the man once, he reminded me a LOT of my dad, also a WWII veteran - both 100% proud Americans, unabashedly so...
Chuck Yeager is a national treasure.
DeleteNot surprised Seinfeld provided a nugget for your colliding worlds situation......stay strong Jerr.......er...Sarge.There's another line from that show that many pols of one particular party emulate, "Jerry, just remember. It's not a lie .......if YOU believe it." Here bars/restaurants can open June first after 10 weeks of being closed with serving OUTDOORS, no more than 50 at a time and houses of worship can conduct services with no more than 10 people inside regardless of the size of the building. Nice vid on Yeager, there's a guy I'd buy two beers for!
ReplyDelete"Not a lie if you believe it..." Well, it's still a lie, but only to us humble proles. The elite can believe whatever they like, there will be a reckoning some day, maybe not in this world but certainly the next!
DeleteEvery single "rule" these wannabe Commie overlords have put out are illegal by the Constitution. They can publish guidelines, suggestions, and the like but these are not laws.
Release jailbirds so they won't get the virus-thingee, but arrest normal Americans for going to the beach. Anathema, a pox on their houses. I sincerely hope people remember this in November, unless the demonrats manage to make everything by mail so that they can steal the election. Bastards, all of 'em.
Some time, back in the last century, my gig was a territorial thing where I worked from home.
ReplyDeleteWasn’t home much and I was living alone in an apartment so I never really noticed much collision.
Thinking about Yeager... imagine the accommodations he’s made due to the changes in technology over his lifetime.
Just the changes in information are incredible.
I wanna go out to a restaurant for a meal really bad.
I too can't wait to go out to my favorite dining establishment and eat. Take-out isn't the same, not even close.
DeleteIMHO, the Church has failed itself too. We should have met, those of us who thought we should. Let those who were concerned of health stay home. That's wise. God was not honored by our cowardice. The Church doesn't need anything or anyone, just the Lord and He promises to be with us when two or three are gathered. Don't get me wrong, I chickened out too.
ReplyDeleteCol. Yeager brought his (probably personal) Starfighter to my Pilot Training graduation ceremony at Randolph AFB (62FZ). It was a scuddy day, like San Antonio can be in March or so. We were already assembled on the flight line. He flew a GCA to where he could see and then RAKED the field in burner and back up into the clouds. Another GCA, he landed, taxied over, gave his speech in his bag, shook all our hands and went to the BOQ (probably the good one). Came to the dinner put on by Northrup and said some more stuff. A common, yet certainly uncommon warrior.
Yes, the Church (in all it's weird and varied forms) failed, greatly. Where was the moral courage to stand up against tyranny and provide a moral base for mere men to stand strong upon?
DeleteAdmittedly, in the wee hours of the Covidiocracy, the info was really bad, and home services made sense. But to continue not opening because some feckless Governor or Mayor, acting all holier-than-thou, stated God's House(s) must remain closed while opening pot dispensaries, booze stores and other fine moral establishments, was wrong.
And just recently, on the 17th of May, New York City Police raided a yeshiva, and then on the 20th raided a hasidic synagogue. Someone filmed it, and then someone else ran it through filters to make it look like old news film and added some appropriate Nazi background music. How very... appropriate. And yet no raids on mosques, which is also very Nazi appropriate... Hmmmm...
In Mississippi, a church was burned by anti-openers, or as people now call them, 'Karens,' and their parking lot sprayed with, of course, misspelled words and anti-opening and anti-Christian slogans. People. This is the South. We meet outside of destroyed churches all the time. Neither fire nor flood nor tornado nor hurricane nor Sherman will stop us meeting, in fact, it tends to make us meet more and in larger numbers.
The failure of various church and Church elders and leaders to properly address this whole mess is disturbing.
I grew up with outdoor services. Those could have easily been done.
Many unanswered questions. I hope all the church leaderships view what has happened long and hard and come to a much better understanding of their missions.
I agree. Couldn't have said it better. Thanks. Especially the part about the Elders giving leadership.
DeleteI do believe that in this day and age, we don't really have any elders, or grass roots leadership. Gone are the neighborhoods, the places where everybody knows your name. And that is how they, the Commies, get to have their way.
DeleteWe are fragmented and disorganized. That's how the Left will win.
Which is why leadership in your church or the church or Holy Mother Church is so important. It's what priests and ministers literally are there for, moral guidance and leadership.
DeleteWhich is why it is so very bad when a church leader of any form goes bad.
Ah, we are not so hierarchical as the Catholic Church or some of the other Protestant denominations. We have a pastor, the only one above him is the Lord. I am not worried about our little group, it's all the lost sheep out there with no one to guide them. You do know that church attendance is down yes?
DeleteI said much the same thing earlier this week. The Archbishop published a 9 page document of requirements to conduct mass. All Must or Must not do. All BS early CV conventions. MBD, SIL and their Best Man and Maid of Honor are visiting to celebrate MBD's entry into her 30's. While we were discussing this, the Best Man had a brilliant idea and I just may do it. He recommended I show up to Mass in my Flight Helmet with my oxygen mask on. Sarcastic (and ridiculous) compliance is the highest form of ridicule.
DeleteBrilliant! (If this happens, someone better have a camera to hand, just sayin'.)
DeleteOldAFSarge - yes, your hierarchy is much flatter than in the Catholic Church. But failure of leadership is failure of leadership. And lack of moral compass in a minister, pastor, priest at the local level can be devastating to a singular church.
DeleteWhich is a shame. It's like it's one of their (priest, minister, deacon, pastor whatever) main jobs. To be the moral leadership of the house of God.
Which, of course, sucks.
juvat - I have thought of wearing my CPAP mask, with hose, just to see what the reactions are.
DeleteMost of the time I don't wear my mask. I find it really makes my incipient asthma ramp up. Feeling claustrophobic and all that. Plus, well, screw y'all. Medical science (real science, not fake-fauci-science) really supports not wearing a mask unless one is infectious or highly susceptible to the bug. So I side with Science-Science and not Fake-Science.
You live in Texas. So you should follow that eminent Texan Rock band, ZZ Top. Every girl loves an unmasked man...
Beans #1 - Our pastor is fine, it's others I have little confidence in.
DeleteBeans #2 - In some locales if you wore that they'd think you were an alien.
DeleteI too am a fan of science-science.
Glad you and The Missus Herself were able to go out and get a nice dinner outside the house. Being cooped up is not something that most people can handle. Me? I cherish the dog walks and the 1-2 hours a week I spend out of the house shopping and running chores. If it wasn't for that time, Mrs. Andrew and I would be much more cranky with each other.
ReplyDeleteWorking at home is a weird thing. The most successful working at home people I know have literally done the dividing line/physical separation of living space vs work space. And that may be your problem. Your work area is a tv table space amongst all your clutter and personal stuff.
Yes, some personal clutter and stuff at work is good. It allows you to remove your mind when it gets overloaded with work stuff. But right now, your mind, no matter how sharp and focused it is, is surrounded by toys and distractions that act upon it like, well, toys to a kid. Like sending a kid to his/her room for punishment and contemplation of what evil/stupid/stupid evil thing he/she has done when the room has a tv, stereo, computer, toys, books, stuff, phone and easily escapable window access.
In the future, if they offer work-at-home, you might consider setting yourself up in not-'Sarge's Room of STUFF!' if possible. Separation of physical space helps separation of function.
As to the commute, well, that's an easy answer why you miss it. It allowed you to change your mind from 'Home' setting to 'Work' setting, and back again. Sure, the traffic may have sucked some days, but there's nothing like a nice drive to help physically and emotionally separate the two locations.
Too bad your shed isn't set up as a nice building with electric and a/c or fans. You could then walk out around the garden to the shed for 'work' and then take your 'breaks' in the big house, and finally shut things down and walk 'home.' Physical separation equals emotional separation.
Though, you do have to admit, this trial semi-retirement you are going through is allowing you to see what may and may not work when you actually do retire. Besides your wish to write, if you find being at home too much sometimes you might see if your church or VFW (which, I believe, you are qualified for due to your service time in Korea) has any programs or the equivalent of 'Knights of Columbus' (Catholic service organization for men that do things around the physical church and for the parish in general) that you can join.
Side note: The Catholic Church has the Order of St. Lazarus, which used to be a crusading organization with horses and swords and such (white field with green cross) that now has evolved into a service organization for rich guys. Literally, the member goes to some place that needs work and spends his time and money organizing and actually physically working. At the old Ursuline Convent in New Orleans, when I went there in 2006, there was a member working at getting the place physically rebuilt. And there was a 'chapter house' with full regalia. Really cool. First time I ever wanted to be overly rich as it sounded like a contemplative life just doing.
It was take-out, we ate at home.
DeleteAs to the work space at home? Never. Home is my sanctuary I won't make it a place of work except in emergency situations.
As to after I retire, I am not a joiner. Most of the organizations you cite have their ways, which are not my ways. This enforced absence from my place of work has not been a glimpse of retirement, if it is, then I shall never retire. Having free time to do the things I want to do, in the places I want to do them, this Sparkling Isolation is more like house arrest than retirement.
I want my normal back, I want the Red Chinese to pay, and pay dearly, for their sins. Of course, the people in Hell would like ice water too.
1800 seating at Aidan's. Mrs. had the best fish & chips since before the panda attack while I had the Shepherd's. As we were outdoors the staff decided the ceiling would not collapse if we drank anything other than the Guinness and I saw a mosquito yesterday morning we had Gin & Tonics to celebrate. Old Guns
ReplyDeleteThe weather was good for eating outside yesterday. When I picked up our meals, the parking lot was full. It was good to see.
DeleteHome-work is working for me, but I realized early on that I have to at least get dressed first. Otherwise I might be in my robe until lunchtime. Then again, there's not many exercises going on, or any conferences so not as much work to actually do, at home or the office. I have reservations Sunday for a place on the bay. Seems like the whole country is slowly getting back to normal. I will be happy for the election to be behind us though.
ReplyDeleteWell, only if it goes one way and not the other. If some of these governors get re-elected or worse, selected for VP (I'll be sure and take out a Biden life insurance policy if so) and win, things will get much, much worse.
DeleteTuna - I need to be in the lab to be really productive. There's only so much unclass work I can do!
DeleteWhile I do have a routine, it's still annoying. Give me my lab!
Yes, we need to get back to normal. We need to force the issue if needs be, we're a republic not a gorram Persian satrapy!
juvat - If it goes one way, we can continue to fix things, if it goes the other, I fear for my country.
DeleteThis fits in with "Memory Lane" from the"Ratnet Digest" of RiverRats.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVff4jx8_DA&feature=youtu.be
God bless 'em all.
Damned allergies...
DeleteMr Yeager is a very interesting listen indeed!! Thank you, Sarge!
ReplyDeleteNormal---yes, normal sounds very enticing indeed. Being able to go out to a restaurant, or at least be able to get take-out from my favorite Chinese place which is currently closed down, would be fun. Being able to go see a patient without having to spend 10 minutes in the parking lot getting all gowned up would be more fun. Not having to wear a couple of masks (an N95 covered with a procedure mask with a plastic shield over all) would be absolutely priceless!!!!
Having said that, I do support wearing a mask of some sort if you are close by other folks who may or may not have cooties of some sort, wearing a mask when working with older folks is a major pain. As many folks have some sort of hearing impairment, but cover it well by reading lips to some degree--often without even realizing it. Until now. When they can't understand what that young nurse is saying.
But putting on a mask and going into someone else's house/apartment/cubby when said person has not yet availed themselves of this delightful new invention called air conditioning as I am sweating major-soak-all-clothes-on-the-body bullets and feel like I am going to pass out right-the-firetruck-now if I don't take this stupid gear OFF!!!! I find it more irritating than the totally stupid political nonsense that is going on now....which for me is saying a lot...And the temperatures have only barely kissed 80*. I am in deep weeds next week if we really do get to 90 with high humidity. Told the boss lady was going to need more than 1 mask per week as I am currently sweating through a mask every half to 1 hour now. she said there are supplies now, so order what I need...so I did.
Suz's Rules:
1. If you are sick, stay the hell HOME!!!
2. Wash your hands!!! Use soap. For 20 seconds at least.
3. Keep your hands away from your face/mouth/nose/eyes. Put only your feet into your mouth, nothing else.
Climbing off the rant box now...
PS: I really like juvat's voting rules. I would only add that if ya don't get off your keister and go vote, you have absolutely no right to whine, complain, or fuss about the results of any election from school board up through president. None. At All. Until you go vote in the next election. Period!!!
Couldn't agree more with your last, don't vote? Don't complain.
DeleteThe few times I've been "oot and aboot" as certain of my ancestors might have put it, I've been masked up. I don't wanna share cooties or what-have-you.
Your mention of wearing all that PPE in a hot, humid environment takes me back to my Nuclear-Biological-Chemical Decontamination days. During one exercise it was so damned hot, the guys who were observing, and weren't suited up, were hosing those of us who were suited up with cold water from a garden hose. It helped but I was soaked from sweat when I took my rubber chem suit off. (We wore German gear which was pretty good. But rubber for decon teams, argh was that slightly unpleasant!)
You don't even want to try to emplace a M114-A1 Towed 155mm howitzer in 95 degree heat in 1980 vintage charcoal lined full chem warfare gear, especially short 3 men in the crew. Early BDU's that broke up your infra-red signature by partially trapping your body heat covered with the charcoal lined suit which was covered with a complete set rain gear in full sunshine. Old Guns
DeleteNo fun at all!
DeleteLate 2009 there was an airshow at Edwards AFB. General Yeager was there, he flew in the back seat of an F-16 (F-16B?) and they broke the sound barrier. Had not heard a sonic boom in a long time. There is to be an airshow at Edwards late this year. Wonder if it will take place? Seems it would be difficult to keep people six feet from one another, especially if attendance was similar to the show in 2009, which was estimated to be 300,000 people. I suppose if Miramar cancels their annual airshow, normally held late September - early October, that may signal a harbinger of things to come in the airshow world. Also read Air France has decided to retire their fleet of A380s, as in never again used for revenue flights (or used, period).
ReplyDeleteJim
From what I understand, both Air France and KLM had intended to phase out operations of their fleet of A380s by 2022. This virus-thingee just made that happen sooner. I fear a lot of businesses will be going under because of this.
DeleteNot sure what the future of the airshow is, I know for the military it's a good recruiting tool. For the public it's entertainment. I hope they come back, this "social distancing" has to end some time. If it doesn't, 1984 is finally here.
Last time I heard a sonic boom was out at sea aboard a carrier. F/A-18F made a low level pass and went supersonic just abeam of the ship, it was freaking awesome! Used to hear them all the time when I was a kid.